Who Makes Sakura School Simulator? Inside Japan's Garusoft

Millions of players know every corner of Sakura town, yet few know who built it. The answer is Garusoft, a small Japanese company that has been making mobile games since 2004, years before the smartphone era.

The Garusoft name appears on every store listing, but the company itself is rarely profiled. Its path is unusual: from puzzle games for Japanese flip phones to one of the most downloaded simulation games in the world.

This profile is based on Garusoft's official company page and app store data as of November 1, 2026.

Garusoft at a Glance

According to the company profile on its official website, the firm's full name is ガルソフト株式会社 (Garusoft K.K.). It was established in February 2004 as Garusoft Development Inc.

The office sits in the Makuhari business district of Chiba, just east of Tokyo. Its move to kabushiki kaisha status in late 2025 suggests a business that has kept growing alongside the game's global popularity.

From Flip-Phone Escape Games

Before Sakura School Simulator, Garusoft described itself as "元祖携帯脱出ゲームのガルソフト", roughly "Garusoft, the original mobile escape game maker". Escape games are puzzles in which the player is locked in a room and must find clues to get out.

The old catalogue is still online. It includes the long-running Dasshutsu Club ("Escape Club") series, with Halloween, Valentine's and New Year editions, plus titles such as Mystery Rooms. These games were first released for Docomo and au handsets, Japan's two largest carriers at the time, before moving to Android and iPhone.

The Birth of Sakura School Simulator

The Google Play description carries a (C)2018 Garusoft copyright, and the iOS version was released on the App Store on January 23, 2019.

Garusoft says there are two ways to enjoy the game: make friends and fall in love for a "brilliant school life", or go on a rampage with weapons borrowed from the Yakuza office. There is no ending. The developer stresses that there is no blood, and that characters who are knocked down are only stunned, waking up the next day and holding a grudge.

Lesser-Known Facts

• Off-the-shelf character models. Garusoft openly states that it uses the AOI (paid) and TAICHI (free) character assets, and invites others to use them too.
• A YouTuber's character is in the game. The description credits Scrub-chan (C) Bijuu Mike.
• Ads unlock characters. Players can switch between four characters, two of which become available after watching ads.
• Demanding hardware. Garusoft recommends more than 3 GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 820-class chip for smooth play.

The Game by the Numbers

As of November 1, 2026, Google Play ranks it #3 among top free simulation games, and it is also playable on Windows through Google Play Games for PC.

Conclusion

Behind Sakura School Simulator is Garusoft, a Japanese studio with two decades of mobile game experience. After years of escape-room puzzles for flip phones, it found a global hit with an open school town that has no ending and no single way to play.

For players, official news about updates, bugs and system requirements comes from Garusoft's store listings and website, not from unofficial accounts.

Sources and references

• Garusoft — Company profile (会社案内, Japanese)
• Google Play — SAKURA School Simulator (GARUSOFT K.K.)
• App Store — SAKURA School Simulator